Connector device

Abstract

A connector device comprises a connector and a mating connector. The connector is mateable with the mating connector and removable from the mating connector. The mating connector includes a mating primary terminal and a mating secondary terminal. The connector includes a housing, a sub-connector, a first operation member and a second operation member. The housing holds a primary terminal while the sub-connector holds a secondary terminal. When the first operation member is operated, the housing is moved, and the primary terminal is connected to the mating primary terminal. When the second operation member is operated, the sub-connector is moved, and the secondary terminal is connected to the mating secondary terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A connector device comprising a connector and a mating connector, wherein:
 the connector is mateable with the mating connector and removable from the mating connector; 
 the mating connector includes a mating housing, a mating primary terminal and a mating secondary terminal; 
 the mating primary terminal and the mating secondary terminal are held by the mating housing; 
 the connector includes a housing, a primary terminal, a sub-connector, a first operation member and a second operation member other than the first operation member; 
 the primary terminal is held by the housing; 
 the sub-connector includes a secondary terminal; 
 the sub-connector is supported by the housing to be locatable at each of a first position and a second position; 
 the first operation member is supported by the housing to be locatable at each of a first initial position and a first displaced position; 
 the second operation member is attached to and supported by the first operation member to be locatable at each of a second initial position and a second displaced position; 
 when a first mating operation is performed, the second operation member is moved together with the first operation member, the housing is moved to a mating position, and the primary terminal is connected to the mating primary terminal, wherein the first mating operation is an operation of moving the first operation member from the first initial position to the first displaced position; and 
 when a second mating operation is performed subsequent to the first mating operation, the second operation member is moved relative to the first operation member, the sub-connector is moved to the second position from the first position, and the secondary terminal is connected to the mating secondary terminal, wherein the second mating operation is an operation of moving the second operation member from the second initial position to the second displaced position. 
 
     
     
       2. The connector device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the mating housing is provided with a mating operated portion; 
 the first operation member is provided with a fulcrum portion and a first operating portion; 
 the first operation member is movable in turn around the fulcrum portion between the first initial position and the first displaced position; 
 when the housing is located at a mating start position, the first operating portion is allowed to operate on the mating operated portion, and the housing is movable to the mating position by the first mating operation; 
 the sub-connector is provided with an operated portion; 
 the second operation member is provided with a second operating portion; 
 the second operation member is movable in slide relative to the first operation member between the second initial position and the second displaced position; and 
 when the sub-connector is located at, the first position after the first mating operation, the second operating portion is allowed to operate on the operated portion, and the sub-connector is movable to the second position by the second mating operation. 
 
     
     
       3. The connector device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 one of the mating operated portion and the first operating portion is a first cam protrusion while a remaining one is a first cam groove; 
 under a first received state where the first cam protrusion is received in the first cam groove, the first operating portion is allowed to operate on the mating operated portion; 
 when the first mating operation is performed under the first received state, the first cam protrusion is moved in the first cam groove, and the housing is moved from the mating start position to the mating position; 
 one of the operated portion and the second operating portion is a second cam protrusion while a remaining one is a second cam groove; 
 under a second received state where the second cam protrusion is received in the second cam groove, the second operating portion is allowed to operate on the operated portion; and 
 when the second mating operation is performed under the second received state, the second cam protrusion is moved in the second cam groove, and the sub-connector is moved from the first position to the second position. 
 
     
     
       4. The connector device as recited in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the mating operated portion is the first cam protrusion while the first operating portion is the first cam groove; and 
 the operated portion is the second cam protrusion while the second operating portion is the second cam groove. 
 
     
     
       5. The connector device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first operation member is provided with a first handle portion; 
 the fulcrum portion is located between the first handle portion and the first operating portion; and 
 a distance between the fulcrum portion and the first handle portion is larger than another distance between the fulcrum portion and the first operating portion. 
 
     
     
       6. The connector device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the mating housing has a mating first releaser; 
 the housing has a first regulation portion; 
 the first operation member has a first regulated portion; 
 the first regulated portion is supported to be movable in a first predetermined direction; 
 when the housing is located at a separated position where the housing is separated from the mating housing under a state where the first operation member is located at the first initial position, the first regulation portion regulates a movement of the first regulated portion in a first predetermined plane perpendicular to the first predetermined direction to prevent the first operation member from being moved to the first displaced position; and 
 when the housing is moved to the mating start position under the state where the first operation member is located at the first initial position, the mating first releaser moves the first regulated portion in the first predetermined direction to release the first regulated portion from the first regulation portion. 
 
     
     
       7. The connector device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the mating housing has a mating second releaser; 
 the first operation member has a second regulating portion; 
 the second operation member has a second regulated portion; 
 the second regulated portion is supported to be movable in a second predetermined direction; 
 when the first operation member is located at the first initial position under a state where the second operation member is located at the second initial position, the second regulation portion regulates a movement of the second regulated portion in a second orthogonal direction perpendicular to the second predetermined direction to prevent the second operation member from being moved to the second displaced position; and 
 when the first mating operation is performed, the mating second releaser moves the second regulated portion of the second operation member, which is located at the second initial position, in the second predetermined direction to release the second regulated portion from the second regulation portion to enable the movement of the second regulated portion in the second orthogonal direction. 
 
     
     
       8. The connector device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing has a first lock portion; 
 the first operation member has a first locked portion; and 
 when the first mating operation is performed, the first lock portion locks the first locked portion to maintain the first operation member at the first displaced position. 
 
     
     
       9. The connector device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the mating housing has a maintaining portion; 
 the second operation member has a maintained portion; and 
 when the first operation member is moved toward the first initial position after the second mating operation, the maintaining portion is brought into abutment with the maintained portion to maintain the first operation member at the first displaced position. 
 
     
     
       10. The connector device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing has a second lock portion; 
 the second operation member has a second locked portion; and 
 when the second mating operation is performed, the second lock portion locks the second locked portion to maintain the second operation member at the second displaced position. 
 
     
     
       11. The connector device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein:
 the second locked portion is resiliently supported to be movable in a third predetermined direction; and 
 when the second locked portion is moved in the third predetermined direction after the second mating operation, the second locked portion is unlocked from the second lock portion. 
 
     
     
       12. The connector device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the second operation member has a receiving portion and a received portion; 
 the received portion is moved in the third predetermined direction when the second locked portion is moved in the third predetermined direction; and 
 the receiving portion receives the received portion which is moved in the third predetermined direction to stop a movement of the second locked portion. 
 
     
     
       13. The connector device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the mating housing has a push-back portion; and 
 during the first mating operation, the push-back portion pushes the sub-connector back to the first position even if the sub-connector is not located at the first position.